McHenry police dog receives patch to honor legacy of Duker School teacher who died at 42

The McHenry Police Department’s therapy K-9 Oakley has been bestowed a patch to honor Duker Elementary School’s beloved teacher Emily Schilf after she died unexpectedly earlier this year.

McHenry School District 15′s Chauncey H. Duker School honored Schilf Friday with a ceremony to place a patch on the police dog’s vest that says “Schilf” with angel wings. Teachers, staff, students, police officers and family packed the school’s gymnasium for the honor.

Schilf, 42, began her teaching career at Duker as a student teacher, taught fourth and fifth grade students and later became the school’s learning media center director. In that role, Schilf coordinated book fairs, an all-school book reading program, guest readers and the school’s battle of the books.

Schilf also spearheaded both the weekly visits from Oakley and a program in which students can use the points they earn in school to get 15 minutes to read to Oakley or spend time cuddling and petting the pooch.

Duker Principal Lindsay Weber described Schilf as the person who “instilled a love of reading” in students. The badge is to keep alive the memory of the impact she left on the school, in part by bringing in Oakley. After Schilf’s death, Duker teachers formed a committee to brainstorm ways they could honor her and came up with the patch idea.

“We can always keep Mrs. Schilf’s memory alive and her passion that she has not only for Oakley, but all the amazing things that Oakley did for all of us,” Weber said.

Jason Sterwerf, McHenry Police Department’s social services coordinator and Oakley’s handler, gave words of gratitude to the school, police department and the legacy Schilf left behind.

“This means something special,” he said.

Schilf’s aunt, Jodi Fielder, flew in from Arizona for the badge ceremony. She said she had a “special bond” with Schilf.

“You don’t realize how much someone touches lives until they’re gone,” Fielder said.

Schilf’s mom, Suzan Paulin, said almost 700 people attended the visitation for her daughter in February. Inspired by Schilf’s mantra of “knowledge is power,” Paulin is creating a little library outside her home.

“If you got the knowledge, then run with it,” she said.

Oakley, a golden retriever, joined the police department as a puppy and became McHenry County’s first police therapy dog. The dog comforts first responders in the department and others in the community, including District 15 students.

Schilf is survived by her husband, Brian, a 14-year-old son and a 10-year-old daughter, Paulin said. They resided in Wonder Lake.